Method of producing a sintered body comprising the steps of mixing one or more powders forming hard constituents with powders forming a binder phase comprising cobalt powder where the cobalt powder comprises cobalt having mainly a fcc-structure defined as the peak height ratio between the Co-fcc(200)/Co-hcp(101) being greater than or equal to about 3/2, as measured between the baseline and maximum peak height, measured by XRD with a 2θ/θ focusing geometry and Cu-Kα radiation. The present invention also relates to a ready-to-press powder comprising cobalt having mainly a fcc-structure and where the cobalt powder has a grain size (FSSS) of from about 0.2 to about 2.9 μm. The present invention also relates to sintered bodies made according to the method. The sintered bodied according to the present invention have reduced porosity and less crack formation.